A Student Defining her Career from an Unexpected Source

Education

Earthwatch Student Fellowships enable students to join expeditions around the world. These young adults can then share their experiences and new knowledge with thousands of students and teachers upon their return.

Songs and Scat in Nova Scotia

Jessica from Arizona had been a volunteer at a local zoo and was planning on majoring in a scientific field in college. She found details of the Earthwatch Student Fellowship program and asked a teacher to nominate her. Jessica was selected and joined our Mammals of Nova Scotia project in 2010, where she worked with her team among forests, meadows, and beaches, studying how small mammalian prey species are affected by disrupted seasonal weather patterns. The experience helped her to define her planned career.

Earthwatch Student Fellowships enable students to travel and volunteer in scientific research while acquiring new personal and professional skills. Jessica from Arizona shares her story.

Mammals of Nova Scotia

How are humans reshaping the wild lands around us, and what will the consequences be? Nova Scotia’s mammals can guide us toward the answer.

What happened on the expedition?

"I learned so much about fieldwork," said Jessica. "The trip taught me that even the small things you study are important, such as scat. Scat [animal feces] is gross to everyone else in the world, but to scientists and those of us who went on the expedition it is fascinating and a great learning tool. We even created songs about our work, and it was just an awesome experience."

And it wasn’t just about the research— important as it is.

"The lead scientists, Chris and Christina, were very kind and it was amazing to have actual scientists fixing us meals and breakfast and playing games with them. Even washing the dishes was fun because we told jokes while doing it!"

What’s next?

"I will be friends with those other people on my expedition for the rest of my life,” says Jessica. “Each one of them was friendly and appreciative of the world around us. We all have a connection now that will never go away. The traveling was amazing. I have not been anywhere as beautiful as Nova Scotia and I constantly want to return to its beauty."

"The expedition really did change my life. I now understand how exciting and wonderful fieldwork can be—as before I thought it would be boring, and I thought observing and counting would be tiring. It is an exhausting job, but it is so fascinating. We went to watch a beaver dam at one point on the trip, and it really was the most enjoyable time I had ever had."

"The trip ignited my passion for nature and has made me want to experience more nature and parks and helped me keep my joy for animals and people as well."

Inspired by her experience, Jessica went on to college studying parks and recreation management.

Nova Scotia’s biodiversity is under threat from climate change and from human–wildlife conflicts over resources like crops and timber.

“I will never give up on fieldwork, because this experience has changed my life, and I can apply it to my future career.”

Stacey
Earthwatch Student Fellow

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